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Assessment of the Navy Comparative Study of Florida Canyon and Helix Heights for the Proposed San Diego Naval Hospital

HRD-81-71 Published: Apr 23, 1981. Publicly Released: Apr 27, 1981.
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Highlights

GAO was requested to assess all aspects of the Navy's November 25, 1980, Comparative Study of Florida Canyon and Helix Heights, potential sites for the proposed new Naval Regional Medical Center, San Diego, California. The former Secretary of the Navy selected Florida Canyon as the preferred site but, after the Comparative Study, several significant events occurred relating primarily to the design and location of the hospital on the Florida Canyon site. Among these events were: (1) the Navy's decision to modify the high-rise medical facility concept and return to a low-rise design that would be more in line with the original planning concepts developed before the earthquake fault in Florida Canyon was discovered; and (2) further testing of the fault showed that more land was available for building on the western upper-segment of the Florida Canyon site than was originally anticipated.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct, if it is decided to locate the medical center at Florida Canyon, the Secretary of the Navy to confirm the potential for peacetime uses of Building 26 that preserve the facility's acute care structure. The Secretary should take no action to design or construct a proposed light care facility until the use potentials have been confirmed.
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Topics

Comparative analysisEnvironment evaluationEvaluation criteriaHospital planningMilitary facility constructionMilitary hospitalsNaval procurementSite selectionEarthquakesMilitary forces